Boston Celtics assistant general manager Mike Zarren is a serious candidate for the Sixers general manager position, sources with knowledge of the search told SI.com.

Zarren is an intriguing addition to the field of prospects; a widely-respected purveyor of advanced player statistics in the NBA who is one of the least-known yet most-influential members of the Celtics' front office group. A lifelong Celtics fan and season-ticket holder who began as an unpaid intern in 2003, Zarren -- a Harvard Law graduate who has also served as Celtics' team counsel -- has become known as the right-hand man of general manager Danny Ainge. He is a regular speaker at the annual MIT Sloan Conference where so many NBA executives explore new ways to analyze players and teams in a more accurate, efficient and in-depth manner.

So after this year's draft all of a sudden I found out the Celtics have an assistant GM named Ryan McDonough. Turns out we have another in Mike Zarren (He's the guy on the far right in the above picture. You know you guessed Aztec Gino. Just admit it.) and he'e being called Ainge's "right-hand man" in the SI column quoted above. All that stat stuff gets me excited. Danny Ainge had current Rockets GM Daryl Morey on his staff back in the day, so obviously Ainge likes having stat guys on his staff (which is a good thing). I can't tell you much about this Zarren guy, but I do see a bit of a rekindling of the Boston/Philly rivalry now that Bynum is a 76er. He's a very good player, but also pretty dirty. Those are some potent ingredients for a rivalry right there. I guess best of luck to Zarren regardless, as it would be a lateral move for him and probably a dream come true.